Arab Summit Urges Support for Lebanese Army, Calls for Adopting Cabinet's Refugee Plan

The closing statement of the Doha Arab Summit called on Tuesday for providing support to the Lebanese military institution, urging also the adoption of the cabinet's plan for rescuing Syria's refugees.

“We reiterate our full support to Lebanon and to its cabinet and we pledge to preserve the country's security and stability,” the closing statement said.

It remarked: “We hail the role the Lebanese army plays to protect the land and preserve stability and we stress on the necessity to support the military institution”.

The Arab leaders agreed to support Lebanon's cabinet, people and resistance that “aim at defending and liberating the country in all legitimate means”.

“We stress again on Lebanon's right to liberate its occupied territories”.

Responding to President Michel Suleiman's request of supporting Lebanon in hosting Syria's refugees, his Arab counterparts said they will adopt the plan agreed on by the cabinet.

Suleiman on Tuesday called on the Arab states to “share the burden” of hosting the Syrian refugees and urged them to seek the release of nine Lebanese pilgrims abducted by an armed group in the Syrian town of Aazaz.

“The number of Syrian refugees has surged and it is now equivalent to one quarter of Lebanon's population. Although the Lebanese state has decided not to close the border, the situations indicate that the security problems will increase and this requires a serious discussion in order to find a solution to this aggravating problem in a country based on delicate checks and balances,” Suleiman said in his address at the Arab Summit in Doha.

“To avoid very grave problems, I urge the Arab brothers to consider calling for an international conference on Syrian refugees that does not settle for financial support, but also seeks ways to share the burden and split the numbers,” Suleiman urged.

The president also suggested forming an Arab committee tasked with overseeing the issue of refugees.